Master the
AAMC PREview
The AAMC PREview exam is a situational judgment test assessing the personal and professional competencies the AAMC expects of entering medical students. 14 MD programs require it this cycle and 2 more accept it or Casper. It presents 30 scenarios with 186 behavioral responses rated for effectiveness, scored 1–9 and transmitted via AMCAS.
30
Scenarios
75 min
Test time
Multiple choice
Response format
1–9
Score scale
The exam
What is AAMC PREview?
An AAMC-built SJT that targets non-cognitive readiness — not the academic ground the MCAT covers.
AAMC PREview is a situational judgment test developed by the Association of American Medical Colleges — the same body behind the MCAT, AMCAS, and MSAR. Unlike the MCAT, it targets the non-cognitive attributes the AAMC considers essential: professionalism, teamwork, ethical judgment, cultural competence, and resilience.
The text-based scenarios are typical of pre-medical or early training — a team conflict, a difficult patient interaction, an observed ethical lapse. Rather than “what would you do?”, PREview asks how effective each listed behavior would be, and you rate every one on a 4-point scale from very ineffective to very effective. There are 186 responses to rate across the single 75-minute section, scored against ratings established with medical education experts.
Piloted from 2021, PREview has been adopted by a growing number of MD programs. Scores are transmitted directly through AMCAS with the rest of your application.
Key distinction from CASPer
PREview is AAMC-administered, asks you to rate set behaviors rather than write anything, and aligns explicitly with the AAMC Premed Competencies. Casper is third-party (Acuity Insights) with open-ended typed and spoken video responses. Different schools require one, the other, or both.
The framework
The nine competencies PREview assesses
PREview measures nine of the AAMC's professional competencies, in two skill areas. Understanding them is the most substantive prep you can do.
Personal accountability
Relational skills
Source: the AAMC's PREview exam materials and its Premed Competencies for Entering Medical Students (aamc.org), which define each competency in full.
How to prepare
AAMC PREview preparation strategy
Five steps, roughly in the order they pay off.
Read the competency definitions
The most important step. Read the AAMC's definitions of the nine competencies PREview assesses, from commitment to learning and growth to self-awareness and understanding others. Scenarios are written to probe these exact constructs.
Use official AAMC PREview practice questions
The AAMC store publishes the only practice questions written by the same body and scored against the same framework. Third-party materials may not reflect the AAMC’s response-effectiveness hierarchy — use them for familiarisation, not calibration.
Understand the effectiveness scale
PREview asks how effective each behavior is — not “what would you do?”. Every response is rated on its own from very ineffective to very effective, so learn to separate genuinely effective, good-but-not-optimal, neutral and harmful. Practice articulating why a behavior lands where it does.
Review professional-behavior research
Scenarios draw on real research about professionalism in medical contexts. Reading about communication in healthcare, professionalism in training (ACGME competencies), and self-awareness builds a robust evaluation framework. NEJM and Academic Medicine publish accessible pieces.
Complete the test tutorial
The AAMC provides a tutorial at the start of the exam — review it beforehand on the PREview site. Knowing the rating interface means you spend test-day energy on the scenarios, not the mechanics.
What it tests
Common AAMC PREview scenario themes
Scenarios map directly onto the personal-accountability and relational competencies.
Clinical professionalism
Appropriate conduct in clinical settings — confidentiality, navigating hierarchy, handling errors, and supporting colleagues.
Teamwork & collaboration
Effective participation in teams — contributing constructively, addressing dysfunction, and supporting struggling members.
Ethics & integrity
Informed consent, truth-telling, resource allocation, and obligations when observing misconduct.
Understanding others
Respectful care across cultural, linguistic, and religious differences — including assumptions, stereotyping, and accommodation.
Resilience & self-care
Recognizing and responding appropriately to stress, burnout, and impairment — in yourself or colleagues.
Communication & feedback
Delivering and receiving feedback, navigating difficult conversations, and supporting patients and families under stress.
Compare
AAMC PREview vs CASPer
Two SJTs that schools treat very differently — know which (or both) your list requires.
| Feature | AAMC PREview | CASPer |
|---|---|---|
| Administrator | AAMC (same body as AMCAS) | Altus / Acuity Insights |
| Format | Rate set behaviors on a 4-point scale | Open-ended typed text + spoken video |
| Sections / scenarios | 1 section, 186 responses to rate | 2 sections, 11 scenarios (7 typed, 4 video) |
| Time | 75 min | ~90–110 min |
| Scoring | 1–9 scaled score | Quartile (Q1–Q4) |
| Framework | AAMC professional competencies (explicit) | Acuity Insights professionalism criteria |
| Score transmission | Via AMCAS | Direct to schools (separate from AMCAS) |
| Required by (this cycle) | 14 MD programs (2 more accept either) | 23 MD, 5 DO and 2 dental programs |
| Typing speed | Not relevant | 50+ WPM recommended |
Administrator
- AAMC PREview
- AAMC (same body as AMCAS)
- CASPer
- Altus / Acuity Insights
Format
- AAMC PREview
- Rate set behaviors on a 4-point scale
- CASPer
- Open-ended typed text + spoken video
Sections / scenarios
- AAMC PREview
- 1 section, 186 responses to rate
- CASPer
- 2 sections, 11 scenarios (7 typed, 4 video)
Time
- AAMC PREview
- 75 min
- CASPer
- ~90–110 min
Scoring
- AAMC PREview
- 1–9 scaled score
- CASPer
- Quartile (Q1–Q4)
Framework
- AAMC PREview
- AAMC professional competencies (explicit)
- CASPer
- Acuity Insights professionalism criteria
Score transmission
- AAMC PREview
- Via AMCAS
- CASPer
- Direct to schools (separate from AMCAS)
Required by (this cycle)
- AAMC PREview
- 14 MD programs (2 more accept either)
- CASPer
- 23 MD, 5 DO and 2 dental programs
Typing speed
- AAMC PREview
- Not relevant
- CASPer
- 50+ WPM recommended
See the full CASPer guide.
Where it's required
US medical schools requiring AAMC PREview
Representative for the 2025–2026 cycle. Participation changes annually — verify on the AAMC PREview participating-schools page and each school's admissions page.
Source: AAMC PREview participating-schools page (aamc.org). List is representative — confirm current requirements with each school before registering.
Pitfalls
Common AAMC PREview mistakes
The avoidable errors that pull a PREview score down.
Overthinking individual responses
Each behavior has a defensible effectiveness rating. Applicants who over-analyse and doubt their instincts often do worse. If you have studied the AAMC competencies, your initial rating is often closer to the key than a second-guessed revision.
Ignoring the competency framework
PREview is explicitly built on the AAMC’s competency framework. Preparing with generic “ethics” knowledge means optimizing for a different standard than the exam uses. Read the official document.
Confusing “what I would do” with “what is most effective”
PREview asks you to evaluate effectiveness, not personal preference. A behavior you would personally choose may still be only moderately effective, and one you would avoid may rate higher. Evaluate on professional best practice.
Using only third-party prep materials
Third-party materials vary widely in accuracy relative to AAMC’s scoring. Official AAMC practice questions are the only materials guaranteed to reflect the real response hierarchy — use third-party for volume, not calibration.
Leaving too little time for prep
Because PREview requires a specific conceptual framework, cramming the night before is ineffective. Meaningful prep needs reading, reflection, and rating practice over at least a week — schedule with adequate lead time.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
The PREview details US applicants ask about most.
Mock interviews built in your school's real format.
Pick your target US medical or dental school and our question bank assembles a mock in that school's documented format — MMI, panel or traditional. Every station comes with real questions, likely follow-ups, a full scoring rubric and annotated model answers.
- Matched to your school’s format — MMI, panel or traditional
- Hundreds of practice questions across US MD, DO & dental interviews
- Real scoring rubrics with examiner guidance — annotated model answers in the free preview
Prepare for AAMC PREview with expert guidance
Sessions covering the AAMC competency framework, effectiveness-rating logic, and timed scenario practice.
Keep reading
Related guides
Other US interview formats and admissions topics worth knowing.